Lessons From My 20s: Conquer Yourself, Then Conquer The World

I only have 4 more days in my 20s! Today's lesson: Conquer Yourself, Then Conquer The World.

A little conqueror.

I have been known to be bit zealous from time to time. Charging ahead with passion in my heart. So many things to conquer! Nations to see, people to tell about Jesus, injustices of all kinds waiting to be righted...So many things to do!

In fact, I was so preoccupied with the things to do & the places to impact that I didn't have much time to tend to myself. Who cares if there are dishes in my sink? Or if my checkbook doesn't balance the way it should? So what if I gossip sometimes? There are bigger fish to fry!

I have been around long enough to see great people with great passion be outgrown by their dreams. They were a mess inside. When the wine came, there wasn't an adequate wineskin to hold it. They were so busy chasing their big moment, that when it came - they weren't ready.

They were stuck in small thinking. They didn't know how to control their emotions & were unstable. They hadn't denied themselves their 'wants' and were stuck in debt. People who didn't take purity seriously? Their cutting corners eventually landed them in sexual addictions. Big ditches.

For me, I noticed at about age 26 that I had a tendency to be lazy. I was ambitious in heart, but lazy in action. If I didn't think it was super meaningful then I didn't do it. If it wasn't fun, then I didn't do it. The problem with that? Do you know what happens when you don't value doing the small things well? Companies go bankrupt. Marriages break up. Machines get glitches & buildings crumble. If you don't value the small things, then people stop being blessed by your ministry. If I am lazy in the little things, I sabotage the big things.

Self-discipline matters. I'm not talking about all your ducks being in a row. We will all be messy until we get to heaven. I am talking about pursuing growth. Walking in accountability. Changing when God prompts you. The dreams God has put in our hearts are worth it. The world doesn't need more people with big dreams. It needs people who prepare themselves to do what it takes to see the mission accomplished. If you can't handle your urge to buy shoes when you don't have the money, what makes you think you will have the strength to fight human trafficking?

I don't want to fold laundry or do dishes. But the big things in my heart require a foundation of small things. I have to value them. I have to do them well. I can't cut corners and have sustainable growth. Get your heart under control. Get your messy places cleaned up. Let people in to help keep you accountable. Create a solid internal structure that can support your visionary hopes. Conquer Yourself, Then Conquer The World.